The original story was written in 1816 by the German author E.T.A. Hoffman. A young girl dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and a fierce battle against a Mouse King...however this Hoffman version was quite dark and morbid. When the Russian choreographer Marius Petipa had the idea to choreograph a new ballet, he used an adapted version by French author Alexander Dumas, who rewrote the plot to be more suitable for children. In 1892, Petipa commissioned Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky to compose the music for what would become one of the most popular ballets in the world.
The Nutcracker was first performed at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia in December of 1892. At first, the ballet was not a success with critics or audiences. Eventually, The Nutcracker made its way to North America with a premiere by the San Francisco Ballet in 1944 followed by George Balanchine’s version in 1954. Since the 1960’s, the ballet’s popularity has soared among American audiences and it’s now a beloved holiday tradition.
We hope you enjoy Charlottesville Ballet’s version of The Nutcracker and that it sweetens your holiday season for many years to come!